Chantier Davie has secured an 11.3-billion-Canadian-dollar contract, worth approximately $8.1 billion, to construct six Polar Class 3 icebreakers for the Canadian Coast Guard.The vessels are intended to replace aging heavy and medium icebreaking ships currently used for winter operations in Atlantic Canada, the St. Lawrence waterways, and the Great Lakes. They will also support Arctic operations during the summer season.Polar Class 3 vessels are designed to operate in environments featuring second-year ice, giving them the capability to support extended missions in demanding northern waters.Davie plans to begin cutting steel for the first vessel at its Lévis shipyard in 2027. Delivery of the lead ship is expected in 2032, while the complete six-vessel fleet is scheduled to enter service by 2038.The construction program is expected to create nearly 5,000 jobs and generate substantial economic activity in Canada’s shipbuilding sector. The government also intends for the vessels to be assembled using Canadian steel and locally sourced components under its Buy Canadian policy.The agreement was announced by Prime Minister Mark Carney and described as the largest shipbuilding contract in Quebec’s history. It forms part of Canada’s wider National Shipbuilding Strategy, which aims to deliver up to 88 vessels for the country’s maritime forces by 2045.Davie’s involvement began with a 19.6-million-dollar initial design agreement awarded in 2024 for the Polar Class 3 program. The company also received a separate 3.25-billion-dollar contract in 2025 to build the larger Polar Class 2 heavy icebreaker CCGS Arpatuuq.The program is also linked to Canada’s cooperation with the United States and Finland on Arctic icebreaking and maritime security.
